D' oh! Deval

I have to admit... (0.00 / 0)

I was shocked and more than a little disappointed to see that the Governor went off to New York to pursue a book deal for himself on the day of the casino vote.  Actually, reading this story in the Globe today blew my mind!

I spent a lot of time campaigning for him, but I have to say that I'm disappointed.  I don't get his thinking a lot of the time, especially on matters like this.

I keep hoping that he's going to pull things together, but I'm starting to wonder.

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by: bluetoo @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 08:17:25 AM CDT

The outcome of the vote was known well in advance. (5.00 / 2)

Don't treat the NY trip as a crisis in judgment.  In fact, I assume the Globe slant on this story was suggested by casino opponents who wanted to be sure there was some extra salt to pour into the wound.

I imagine the Gov's schedulers had originally set aside this day on his schedule to twist arms in the legislature.  When it became apparent that there would be no reason to hang around, it freed up a day for the trip to NYC.

Downthread, I speculated that he may have had other reasons to visit NYC.  I forgot that he also has a daughter in college there (or has she graduated?).  That may have been his added reason for a day in the Big Apple.

---

by: shack @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 12:03:02 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Crisis, no, (6.00 / 3)

politically tone-deaf, yes.  If the Governor, and everyone in the administration really thought the trip was OK, then why did they wait to release the information until 9:15 pm yesterday?  Why not just say, "Well, I lost and now I'm heading to NYC to negotiate my book deal" on Monday before the vote?

Because they knew it would look bad and that it wasn't the right thing to do, that's why.

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by: DCA-BOS @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 12:14:51 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

I think casino opponents (6.00 / 3)

are not the likely source.  They have no motivation for using salt on wounds.  On the contrary, I would think that certain high profile lobbyists might likely feel betrayed and bitter (3 billion would have covered a lot of fees, and there are some close ties to the media).  One way or another, it's water under the bridge.  Now, let's make sure the bridges don't collapse?

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by: lolorb @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 12:23:20 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Money talks; debt yells (5.50 / 2)

The deficit, is mine I know.
My house out west, palacious though,
A mortage, no, several there.
I'll sell a book, forget casino.

My moonbats must think it queer
For me to leave, a vote so near.
But stop DiMasi? Would take a stake.
It's over now, it's all too clear.

He calls the staff. They're still awake
To ask if there was some mistake.
He checks the news to check the rate,
Big debt you see's a big mistake.

Perhaps the trip's a little shallow,
But I have promises to keep,
To find bucks to fund a hole too deep,
To find bucks to fund a hole too deep.

---

by: gary @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 08:22:42 AM CDT

I give you a five... (0.00 / 0)

...soley on effort and not talent.

---

by: FrankSkeffington @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 08:50:22 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

But am I wrong? (0.00 / 0)

Why on earth would a Governor leave a vote to discuss a personal deal? Answer:  either for 1) ego 2) money.  And with a $27K monthly mortgage habit, the family's gotta be feeling the cash crunch.  

---

by: gary @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 08:55:20 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Cash on hand (0.00 / 0)

Last I checked the Guv's wife was a fully employed ($1000/hr?) lawyer.  As for your "Answer:" 1)ego, 2) money, 3) An uplifting story that needs to be told.    

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by: RealityBased @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 10:13:23 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

You're serious? (0.00 / 0)

The guy makes what? $135K per year?

Wife's a lawyer at R&G.  Equity partners at R&G make about $750K - $900K.  But, she's not an equity partner is she?  I don't think so.

Big diff between income partner and equity partner.  I'll guess she tops out at $450K.  

With a mortgage at $27K per month, a full 56% of their gross income goes just to pay off debt.  That's the reason for the NY visit--my guess--go gin up some cash.

Or, it may be, "Honey, I have to miss an important vote. There's an emergency uplifting story that must be told.  Don't wait up!"  Yeah, that. How could I have been so blind.

---

by: gary @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 10:33:04 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

AFAIK, (0.00 / 0)

R&G doesn't have "income partners."  At least, they didn't when I was there.  In any event, I believe Diane Patrick is an "equity partner."  But I could be wrong.

Also, your compensation numbers seem quite low to me.  From a 2004 article:

Total 2003 compensation for all partners at Boston firms ranged from $910,000, on average, at Ropes & Gray ....

"On average."  I.e., some folks are pulling in a lot more than that.  And that was in 2004.

---

by: David @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 11:21:18 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Another article (0.00 / 0)

BBJ (emphasis mine):

At the single-tier partnership of Ropes & Gray LLP, all partners reaped an average of $910,000.

---

by: David @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 11:23:41 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Holy shit (3.25 / 4)

What the??  And that's just accepted as normal?  What the heck do they do there?  Where does that money come from?  God Damn America, is what I say to that.

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by: they @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 12:37:34 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Sheltered life (0.00 / 0)

Are you jealous?  Your friend gary would probably say, "Lawyer's pay must be adequate, else there'd be no lawyers!"  

---

by: RealityBased @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 13:50:41 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

They - such lawyers handle billions and trillions of dollars. They are paid for expertise and responsibility. (0.00 / 0)

That doesn't mean we shouldn't kill them all, tho...

Yr. Obedient Servant, Peter Porcupine, Republican

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by: Peter Porcupine @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 14:17:17 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

If it's so important (0.00 / 0)

then there should be ten people doing it, each one making a tenth of that.  No one is that much smarter than other people.  

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by: they @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 14:53:03 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

There are.... (0.00 / 0)

...ten people doing it...they are called associates, who start at 160,000.00/yr - still no chump change.

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by: anthony @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 15:36:20 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

FWIW (5.00 / 1)

Partners don't make a million a year by billing by the hour; they bring in clients and have associates, many associates bill by the hour, and pay the associates a salary which leaves a profit for the partner.  At a big firm, only a portion of a successful partner's income comes from his or her own billed time.

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by: CentralMassDad @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 15:45:42 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Yeah, programmers are like that too (0.00 / 0)

I was billed out at $120 an hour but made about a quarter of that, not counting the free coffee.

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by: they @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 15:58:29 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

The right school (0.00 / 0)

Now are you sorry you didn't go to law school?

---

by: RealityBased @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 16:01:36 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

restore those tax brackets (0.00 / 0)

We need to restore those top brackets, so that it is prohibitively expensive to give someone a meaningful raise once they are making more than a few hundred thousand a year.  If it were going to cost the firm a million dollars just to give someone a hundred thousand dollar raise, then they simply wouldn't do it.  CEO salaries ballooned when the top brackets were reduced in the 80's or 70's or whenever that was.  They should approach 100%, like George Harrison complained about.  But perhaps there should be an exception for windfall years that aren't expected to be repeated.

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by: they @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 16:22:55 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Yup----R&G attorneys are experts, akin to the experts at Bear Stearns (3.00 / 2)

Top notch legal advise. Just out of curiosity. Was Mrs Patrick so employed prior (substantially prior) to her husband's winning the election? This is not another Hillary Clinton promotion scenario is it?

I wonder what a million bucks comes out to after taxes.
A 30K mortgage still comes out to a lot of money each month. That's well over half of her adjusted gross income.

There are rumblings that Governor Patrick is in search of new emplyment. If accurate he will make Romney look like a piker.

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by: MCRD @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 16:44:33 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

masters of the universe (0.00 / 0)

Ms. Patrick joined R&G in '95. In 1994, President Clinton appointed Deval Patrick Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights.  

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by: gary @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 17:02:53 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Good with numbers (0.00 / 0)

Makes one wonder how the Patricks ever qualified for those mortgages?  Maybe it has something to do with their net worth, stock options, investments...

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by: RealityBased @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 11:23:32 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

True (0.00 / 0)

Makes one wonder how the Patricks ever qualified for those mortgages?  Maybe it has something to do with their net worth, stock options, investments...

...prior jobs that paid over $1.0 million compared with the current one that pays $135K...  

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by: gary @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 11:53:24 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

With mortgages that large (5.00 / 1)

percentages don't mean quite the same thing.

Sure, it's a large percentage -- but the price of a gallon of milk doesn't go up because you make more money, nor does your car payment(s).

Presuming that the governor is too busy to be blowing through cash on things like yachts and trips to Vegas, methinks 56% of gross income to pay loans and acquire assets is not the impending catastrophe that 56% would be if the family was making pedestrian wages.

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by: stomv @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 15:14:04 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

and miles to go before I sleep ..... (0.00 / 0)

I like Frost's better.

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by: johnk @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 09:27:55 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Nonsense (5.75 / 4)

Who cares if he left town. He didn't have the slightest chance of winning that vote and everyone in the State House knew it.

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by: HR's Kevin @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 08:57:37 AM CDT

Moral of the story (0.00 / 0)

In battles against all odds, it's best to fold.

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by: gary @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 09:01:45 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Optics (0.00 / 0)

I am sooooooo tired of optics.

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by: KBusch @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 10:56:57 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

It's embarrassing....for him and his supporters (0.00 / 0)

This was another case of tin-earitus.  Who the hell is advising this man?

It this meeting in NY was so important, why couldn't he have attended by videoconference?  

And if you think the average joe isn't paying attention, you're wrong.  If it's in the Herald - they will know about it.  The average joe knows all about the caddie and the curtains.  And this will be the next message:

Together we can....get a book deal and skip town to seal the deal.  Together we can...step over the battlefield, littered with the (political) bodies of legislators who stood up for "my" bill....Together we can....figure out how to plug that big gaping hole in my budget caused by depending on casino revenue before they're actually built.  

"The world was made for people who aren't cursed with self-awareness." ~Annie Savoy, Bull Durham

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by: Justice4All @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 21:26:39 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Why is it embarrassing? (4.50 / 2)

I don't get it. What would he have done if he had stayed? This is much ado about nothing.

Can we please all wring our hands over something that matters?

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by: HR's Kevin @ Sat Mar 29, 2008 at 09:03:24 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Obviously... (6.00 / 2)

...to a lot of Patrick partisans, this does matter.

This has been the biggest initiative of his term in office to date, and he takes a walk to sign a lucrative, personal deal on the day of the vote?  C'mon...you really don't get why people are upset?

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by: bluetoo @ Sat Mar 29, 2008 at 10:26:21 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Pattern (6.00 / 1)

Caddy, drapes, executive assistants, book deal.  Not a good pattern at all.

I agree with the poster on the other thread; he needs to do something soon to change the trajectory of his administration because, at present, it looks very bad for him for the next few years.

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by: CentralMassDad @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 09:07:35 AM CDT

If this continues (0.00 / 0)

he won't make it through the primary; and I suspect it's already too late. It's too late for me, and I voted for the man.  

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by: Cassius Chaerea @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 09:09:13 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Hasn't he heard of the telephone? (5.00 / 2)

Or, email?  Even without the vote happening, it's strange he had to go to NYC.  Surely he didn't really have to go to NYC to get this book deal, unless they need to look at an author's teeth or something.

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by: they @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 10:09:01 AM CDT

Audacity of Nope (5.50 / 2)

South Shore Republican over at RMG had a great book title:

The Audacity of Nope: How a podunk state legislature stood in the way of my dream by Deval L. Patrick, Esq.

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by: EaBoClipper @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 10:28:36 AM CDT

Hmm... (0.00 / 0)

The title is only available because Romney and Weld didn't take it...it applies equally to the three of them.  What is so and about this state that all our governors are so desperate to leave?  I'm no Jane Swift fan, but she's the only governor since Dukakis who seemed to like being governor.

~~~~
Believe it or not, I have even more to say...

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by: sabutai @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 16:43:38 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Deval Patrick (5.33 / 6)

is a fascinating person.  He has an interesting story that should be told.  I don't begrudge his trip to NYC nor do I think it made any difference to the outcome on the casino vote.  I didn't support his casino plans, most notably because people were disillusioned by his failure to listen to them as promised on the campaign trail.  He is not Mitt Romney, and for that we should all be happy.  Writing a biography is another form of communication, and I look forward to reading it (as long as it's a little shorter than Bill Clinton's).    

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by: lolorb @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 10:34:32 AM CDT

Gee - Mitt was able to write a book BEFORE he became Governor. (0.00 / 0)

Yr. Obedient Servant, Peter Porcupine, Republican

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by: Peter Porcupine @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 10:43:33 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

with the time mitt was absent from the state house (5.75 / 4)

he should have been able to produce a revised OED.

Click HERE and sign up: Campaign For Military Partners.

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by: Laurel @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 10:52:20 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

I do believe that this particular criticism (6.00 / 3)

Always dubious in the first place, ought to be retired by Democrats for "glass house" based reasons.

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by: CentralMassDad @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 11:57:32 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Dubious criticism? (0.00 / 0)

GW Bush is on track for 499 vacation days during his time in office. Easily a record and arguably to our benefit.

In 2006, Romneys last year in office, Mitt was out of state nearly 250 days, carrying water for Bush, and prepping his own failed run for POTUS. That's 250 days in a single year.

Patrick has also been criticized for his travel, especially to western MA, but do you have any numbers to compare?

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by: mojoman @ Sat Mar 29, 2008 at 12:36:09 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

I don't have the numbers... (0.00 / 0)

but I do recall that when Mr. Patrick began stumping for Mr. Obama, I thought he had more important things to worry about...like his budget.  And how he was going to deliver on his promise for tax relief for homeowners...particularly after I saw that his version of the budget had flatlined unrestricted local aid.  

"The world was made for people who aren't cursed with self-awareness." ~Annie Savoy, Bull Durham

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by: Justice4All @ Sat Mar 29, 2008 at 17:47:08 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Is it really to our benefit?!? (0.00 / 0)

This:

"Easily a record and arguably to our benefit.
In 2006, Romneys last year in office, Mitt was out of state nearly 250 days, carrying water for Bush, and prepping his own failed run for POTUS. That's 250 days in a single year."

sorely underscores what happens when nobody's around minding the store.

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by: mplo @ Sun Mar 30, 2008 at 13:29:59 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Give the guy a cell phone (4.50 / 2)

and a laptop computer like the rest of the world.

Yes, a dubious, meaningless, makeweight criticism.  Because, for example, the President remains the President, ven on Martha's Vinyard or Crawford.

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by: CentralMassDad @ Sun Mar 30, 2008 at 15:11:38 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

making a difference to the vote (5.67 / 3)

i will also assume that his presence wouldn't have made a difference to the vote outcome.  however, it certainly could have made a huge difference to morale then and later.  it was a poor move, in my mind, and really makes me wonder about his judgment.  it makes me wonder if he hasn't already given up on his own tenure, since he can only have made his future at the state house more difficult.

Click HERE and sign up: Campaign For Military Partners.

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by: Laurel @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 10:51:22 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

As politics go, (0.00 / 0)

his presence would seem to have been obligatory.  If he knew the vote was going to be against his plan, he could have gained some points for standing by those who stood up for him.  The same could be said for those who supported him but were opposed to casinos.  He was in a losing position, and maybe he made a political decision to back away and let the decision go the way it did without furthering the divide.  I wish he had never come up with the plan in the first place or, at the very least, had held open meetings across the state to determine the viability and general "community" acceptance level.  It would have been a smart move to get that feedback initially.  I hate to see him lambasted for this when there are so many more important issues to deal with.  

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by: lolorb @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 11:08:06 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Deval Patrick seems to find a lot of time to take care of personal business, stay at home with his wife or campaign for Barack Obama. (6.00 / 2)

For a change----how about he stick his backside in his chair in the corner office and attend to the PEOPLES business. I'm sick and tired of the state legislature trying to run this state in the ridiculous, unprofessional, ind inefficient manner it has been run now for eons.

Deval Patrick campaign was based on the premise that he would turn things around. Over and over I have heard nothing but, "give him a chance", "next month", "next fiscal quarter" ad nauseum. The guy is either bored, hates the job or both.

We deserve what we get----exponentially.

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by: MCRD @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 16:55:47 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

There was only one reason for this trip, and you won't like it. (3.50 / 4)

Cowardice.

He didn't want to have to confront the media, who would ask him - what now?  How will you fund your expensive campaign promises?

Perhaps he was worried he wouldn't be able to keep his temper.  But he threw his supporters under the bus in a BIG way, and the next time he wants to introduce ANYTHING, he'll have a hard time finding adherents.  Doesn't matter what the issue is - if legislators know they'll be abandonded, they aren't going to stick their necks out for him when they know he won't return the favor.

Yr. Obedient Servant, Peter Porcupine, Republican

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by: Peter Porcupine @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 10:35:21 AM CDT

Mind reading (5.00 / 1)

Mind reading is a dangerous talent. It tends to be destructive of relationships, by the way.

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by: KBusch @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 10:59:06 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Hmmm....why would that be? (0.00 / 0)

The better my Beloved can read my mind, the happier I am made to be, generally....

Yr. Obedient Servant, Peter Porcupine, Republican

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by: Peter Porcupine @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 12:30:46 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

I and thou (0.00 / 0)

One must always honor the mystery that is another person. Think Martin Buber and his tree.

Or more practically, people given to mind reading, as opposed to asking questions, listening, and the like, tend to act on motivations in the other person that aren't there. The literature on couples counseling, marital therapy, and the like abounds with examples.

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by: KBusch @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 22:37:04 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

I like to think my mother raised me in a more classical fashion (0.00 / 0)

and "Yes, Dear." doesn't take a lot of mind reading.

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by: JoeTS @ Sat Mar 29, 2008 at 15:37:29 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Big picture (0.00 / 0)

Governor Patrick did what he could to promote the "resort" casino concept.  The citizens didn't like it.  As he would say, "I get it."  What makes you think he won't be able to find support for other issues?  Are the solons that petty that they would cut off their noses despite their districts.  Seems like he already has plenty of support for his proposal for curtailing the use of police details, or is Deval now throwing our vastly underpaid police force under the bus?    

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by: RealityBased @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 11:17:31 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Are solons that petty? Yep. And he had Mommy and Daddy (Therese and Sal) with him when he made the detail announcement - I mean something OF HIS OWN. (0.00 / 0)

Yr. Obedient Servant, Peter Porcupine, Republican

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by: Peter Porcupine @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 12:19:14 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Petty out. Reality in. (0.00 / 0)

Did you follow the link?  Governor Patrick was out front and center on this police "detail" business months ago.  Mom and Dad were far too savvy to risk a stand on this by themselves.    

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by: RealityBased @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 15:41:01 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Like police details is a one billion dollar boondoggle. Granted, police details are a waste of money. (0.00 / 0)

But that announcement was akin to saying he was going to take the parking meters out of downtown Newton or Newton Corner-----

Who gives a crap in the grand scheme of things? I'm far more concerned about Prop 2 1/2 or tolls on Rte 93.

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by: MCRD @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 17:05:05 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Did DP even bother to stick his toe in the water or send Timmy or his minions out to test the water? (0.00 / 0)

No. None of the above. This guy is beyond belief. It was his way or the highway and undoubtedly when he left office---- a big kiss from Mr. Wynn and the other financial backers of casino's. This really stinks----bad.

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by: MCRD @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 16:59:51 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

There's never "only one reason" in politics. (5.00 / 1)

There was a lot going on in NY that week, in case the news didn't reach eastern Mass.  I expect Deval had more than one reason to head west.  It would not surprise me at all if he also attended an Obama strategy session while he was out of the house, and that would not have been publicized.

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by: shack @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 11:55:04 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Don't suppose he said "hi" to Gov. Paterson (0.00 / 0)

do you?

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by: joeltpatterson @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 18:51:17 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Deval's book (0.00 / 0)

Deval, like Obama, is a fraud. And he'll be outta here before he finishes his term. He loves the national stage.  

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by: kittyd @ Sat Mar 29, 2008 at 16:44:24 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

curious (0.00 / 0)

Is this the same Peter Porcupine? You seem to be trying to spin a lot harder recently. Maybe it's me. I think the mix of reason and partisanship has been changed, and not for the better.

Did he not have to answer the questions? Did he not know well before what the result would be so that he didn't have time to prepare a response and prepare to give it?

Campaign promises? Isn't it a struggle to maintain existing state operations?

I'm not sure how a governor waiting around to not sign a bill that will not pass is abandoning a legislator. He and they failed to persuade the number of people necessary.I don't think anyone's going to say the Governor left them hanging.

------------------------------

I am noternie.

More than a full year's worth of blogginess at  Someday I Will.

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by: noternie @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 12:02:57 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Cowardice??? (5.00 / 1)

Oh, come now, Peter. You posted a much better comment on Media Nation. Patrick was the captain of the casino legislation, and he should have gone down with the ship. That he chose not to do so doesn't make him a coward. But it would seem to say something about his level of engagement with being  governor.

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by: dkennedy @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 12:49:16 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

DK - captains in the lifeboat are generally though of as..well...you saw 'A Night to Remember', didn't you? (0.00 / 0)

Yr. Obedient Servant, Peter Porcupine, Republican

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by: Peter Porcupine @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 12:59:56 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Small correction (0.00 / 0)

Captains in the lifeboat when passengers and crew are sinking with the ship.

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by: CentralMassDad @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 14:36:54 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

One out of Two... (0.00 / 0)

Well, at least the book deal panned out...

Patrick reaches book deal
Governor Deval Patrick has signed a deal with Broadway Books to write an autobiography, which is scheduled to be published in 2010, according to a release today issued by the publisher. (from Boston.com)

 

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by: DCA-BOS @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 10:37:46 AM CDT

of mountains and molehills... (4.33 / 3)

... this has got to be the lamest excuse for outrage I've seen in a lot of lame outrage here at BMG.

I'll be that even Jesus wasn't Jesus enough for some of you people...  Here's a clue: humans are human.  There is no human alive who will not, at some point, disappoint.    The higher you build them up, the more the disappointment hurts.   The only reason George Bush hasn't been fragged by his own base is because they are exactly and precisely unwilling to own the disappointment required to bring him down to earth. Same for Reagan.  

I used to think this habit of mind was a peculiarly Republican one.  No longer do I think so.   It's a rot at the core of the body politic.  Charley is fond of saying that you get the politics you deserve. Exactly.

One of the reasons I voted for Deval is because he was the only candidate willing to say he wasn't perfect.  Both Mihos and Gabrieli claimed to walk on water while turning it to wine and Kerry Healey was so obviously appalled that anyone would stop genuflecting long enough to question her perfection.  Deval never set expectations all that high.  

But... Deval says "we can" and all you can say is "you aren't".   Nice work, that...  

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"Providing health care to the uninsured is a job killer, while not providing health care is merely a people killer....   Bonus: Job Openings!!"

--Stephen Colbert

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by: petr @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 12:14:10 PM CDT

Who set the expectations bar? (5.14 / 7)

Clearly it was Deval who set the bar very high during the campaign.  So don't blame the "expectations" disappointment on me.

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by: FrankSkeffington @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 12:21:34 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Give him a break (4.00 / 4)

Leave Deval alone

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by: gary @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 12:25:04 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

And this is a good one (0.00 / 0)

Wow, checked wikipedia to see who this Chris crocker was, and came across a reference to this one!

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by: they @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 12:54:40 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

musta been a different campaign from the one I was payin attention to... (3.00 / 1)

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"Providing health care to the uninsured is a job killer, while not providing health care is merely a people killer....   Bonus: Job Openings!!"

--Stephen Colbert

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by: petr @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 12:29:27 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

All Deval had were expectations (5.00 / 2)

and Hope.  Keep Hope alive, keep it alive.  Together We Can?  and such.  His whole campaign was an expectation game.  

---

by: EaBoClipper @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 12:51:03 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Hope no one tries that again... (6.00 / 1)

   

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by: CentralMassDad @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 15:53:45 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Well there's always this guy (0.00 / 0)

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by: EaBoClipper @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 16:06:07 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

he lived up to my most pressing expectation (0.00 / 0)

by helping defend marriage in MA.  it was a HUGE leap of faith for me to support him in the elections.  he's the first untested elected official i've ever had that didn't "forget" his dedication to LGBT equality upon assuming office.  together, we did!

Click HERE and sign up: Campaign For Military Partners.

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by: Laurel @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 16:13:43 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Come on, Romney did more (0.00 / 0)

Romney actually got the ball rolling and ran interference.  Don't forget he made promises he lived up to too.

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by: they @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 18:05:30 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Bottom line is, Romeny failed (0.00 / 0)

while Patrick prevailed. :)

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by: Laurel @ Sat Mar 29, 2008 at 12:21:00 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Yes it was a different campaign (5.00 / 3)

So your suggesting that Deval did not set high expectations in his campaing?  That he wanted "hope" to trump the politics of cycinism (sp)?  

Given that 6 or so people rated my comment and all gave it a 5 or a 6 and you gave it a 3...I think thay and I saw the same campaign and you were following some race in Rhode Island.

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by: FrankSkeffington @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 18:48:25 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Or as Bob Dylan put it ... (5.00 / 3)

I said, "You know they refused Jesus, too"
He said, "You're not Him"

Get a grip, petr.

---

by: dkennedy @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 12:53:17 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Bad, bad, bad timing (5.62 / 8)

That's all there was to this. No one would have cared if the Governor went to sign a book deal, but a lot of people cared that he couldn't have waited one day, or one month, or whenever they could have rescheduled this. I'm sure he felt he was under a lot of stress, was going to lose and just wanted to get away from it all - but, he should have known better. He should have known people were going to find out about this, and that they'd care. It took a long time for people to forget about the drapes and the caddies - and yes, those were bogus issues, but that's doesn't matter in politics. Clearly, the people cared about them enough to hurt his governorship, and he should have known to avoid those kind of things in the future. Going to NYC to stump for a book, when your biggest proposal during the entire term was up for a major vote, is a political PR nightmare. It didn't cost him the entire vote, though it certainly could have cost him a fair amount that would have made it closer (and thus more likely that this thing could have been kept alive for him)... but, obviously, that's water under the bridge.

He's got to pull it together, or he's not going to be able to beat a Republican. He may not even be able to get through a primary. If he wants to stay Governor, he needs to start going across the state and listening to the voters now, seeing what they're demanding, and working on those issues. He needs to see what sharp proposals are out there in the State House and urge support of the kind of things that can make health care more affordable, increase our investments in renewable energy and work on the important issues effecting various parts of the state. In other words, he needs some quick political victories and momentum going if he's going to reverse the course of his administration.

---
My thoughts are mine and mine alone. They should not be considered representative of any other organization, group or person - save me.

~Ryan.

---

by: Ryepower12 @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 13:31:37 PM CDT

Best comment of the thread (0.00 / 0)

but I'm afraid he's toast already. He's been steadily alienating his base out of perceived arrogance, and that's political death.  

---

by: Cassius Chaerea @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 14:16:54 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Here's my prediction. (2.50 / 2)

At the minimum he doesn't run for re-election.

At the maximum, he doesn't finish the term and we get Good Ol' Boy Timmy Murray as guv.

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by: EaBoClipper @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 14:31:37 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

*shrug* (0.00 / 0)

It was obviously going to lose in a landslide.  He didn't have a vote anyway.  I don't see why you, I, or anyone else, should care that he wasn't present when they voted.  If he were a legislator I'd expect him to at least cast his vote, even if he knew he was losing, but he's not.

---

by: Cos @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 14:29:43 PM CDT

it was *his* bill. (6.00 / 2)

'nuff said.

---
My thoughts are mine and mine alone. They should not be considered representative of any other organization, group or person - save me.

~Ryan.

---

by: Ryepower12 @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 14:40:14 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

'nuff said?? You sure? (4.33 / 3)

'nuff said.

I don't know what the protocol on this is...   Was Romney in the building for each and every vote?  Was Weld?  Dukakis?   Are we talking a serious breach of long-standing (if unwritten) Beacon Hill etiquette?   Was he invited in? Was he asked to stay away? What?  Where is the there there??? Where?    
Honestly, if I was Gov and my initiative was going down in flames very publicly I'd try to make as little a deal about it as possible.   I honestly don't think I'd have acted differently.  Now, if someone in the ledge had pleaded with me to show up and fight for this thing, I would have and I expect Deval would too.   As it was, the support was tepid...   I don't see anybody begging the Gov to show up and make the whole thing a photo op.

I JUST DON"T GET IT... Explain to me why this isn't just lame carping from the peanut gallery?   Seriously, take Miss Porc and scary Gary Troll out of this thread  and all I'm hearing is panicky and irrational emotionalists FREAKING OUT.    I'm the one that  need get a grip?  Yaa-right!

but I'm afraid he's toast already. He's been steadily alienating his base out of perceived arrogance, and that's political death.  

Ya'll are making a huge fucking deal about a BIG FAT NUTHIN... AND adding a passive-aggressive overlay of other politicians shortcomings.   WOW!!   How lame are ya'll gonna get?   Where's it gonna end?   Deval skips a vote and suddenly he's done with his whole term?  I'm sick and fucking tired of freaking out over EVERY LITTLE EVENT looking for SIGNS OF IMPENDING DOOM!!!    Jiminy freaking cricket can ya'll listen to yourselves??   Can you just step back for a second and see where you're at? It's not a good place...


---

"Providing health care to the uninsured is a job killer, while not providing health care is merely a people killer....   Bonus: Job Openings!!"

--Stephen Colbert

---

by: petr @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 16:38:22 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Isn't the point (6.00 / 6)

that we want more than what we got over the past 16 years? That we wanted a real governor, who was going to listen and fight for us and be here almost every day? The whole casino issue is a great example of a divergence from what he was talking about being when he was a candidate. I was as strong a supporter for Deval as anyone out there, and stronger than most. I believed in him and, unfortunately, he just hasn't been the Governor he promised he'd be as a candidate. He has a short time to make amends and fix all that, and I'd be more than happy to climb right on board again to his people-powered army... but he has to start listening, and he has to start working on the common problems facing us all, the one's we're pushing and willing to work for. Casinos was never that.

But even for the issue he went out on a limb for, he didn't even have their back.

Honestly, if I was Gov and my initiative was going down in flames very publicly I'd try to make as little a deal about it as possible.   I honestly don't think I'd have acted differently.

Really? So, you're the governor of the state. The bill you've pushed far harder than any other bill is up for a vote. You know that it's probably going down, though not by a whole lot. Furthermore, you want to 'continue the conversation' and just bring this to a floor vote - or to a compromise. The way you're going to do that is by... going to New York, trying to get a book deal? You need to revise your quote; it just isn't credible.

Deval skips a vote and suddenly he's done with his whole term?

Feel free to quote where I said that. In fact, I've said over and over again that Deval still can right the ship - but his administration is heading for short-lived status, if he doesn't. And, no, that's not because of this one vote, or the fact that he skipped it. It has little to do with that, other than the ever-important public symbolism. Governor Patrick's administration has failed to do anything it's claimed it wanted most, and it's efforts - at least in public - have either seemed slim or ineffective, at best. That's not a good way to enter a campaign to be reelected. In fact, that's a good way to lose. If you can't understand that, or appreciate that fact, you're deluding yourself. And, again, I'm coming from the angle of being one of Governor Patrick's strongest supporters in the entire netroots - I led his campaign at my college, I blogged about it every day and I even did some of the all-important grunt work. But that doesn't change the fact that I have the honesty and foresight to see Deval's heading into trouble and has done little, so far, to avoid it.

---
My thoughts are mine and mine alone. They should not be considered representative of any other organization, group or person - save me.

~Ryan.

---

by: Ryepower12 @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 18:31:14 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Cos - he violated a tenet of Culture in The Building. (6.00 / 4)

You must demonstrate loyalty to those who support you in a cause, even - no, ESPECIALLY - if that cause is a losing one.  He SHOULD have made a personal phone call to every legislator who did support him, risking the wrath of THEIR leader.  

He didn't have a vote on gay mariage either, but he was there - was that becuase he 'can count'?  Knew he'd win?

The Sunshine Soildier, the Fair Weather Patriot.....memories are long about stuff like this.

Yr. Obedient Servant, Peter Porcupine, Republican

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by: Peter Porcupine @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 14:47:18 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

length of memory (0.00 / 0)

memories of this may be long amongst some legislators, but not amongst the general public.  will the voting public even care?  most of them are just happy that his casino bill failed, so they won't care if he was there at the moment of defeat.  because his defeat was their victory.  that is what they'll remember.  imo, this won't hurt him with voters unless he fails to make reasonable budgetary progress going forward.

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by: Laurel @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 16:02:00 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Actually (4.33 / 3)

All public polling on the casino showed broad based support.  Progressives and hard core social conservatives, often at odds on other issues are happy it failed.  The same can't be said for the general public.

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by: EaBoClipper @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 16:07:12 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

maybe, but (5.67 / 6)

is anyone losing sleep over it?  i doubt it.  the flip side of measuring support is measuring depth of support.  how many people are going to demonstrate at the state house until they get their casinos?  most people have bigger fish to fry.

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by: Laurel @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 16:49:41 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

The same percentage of people that demonstrated (4.00 / 1)

for Same Sex Marriage?  You did see the Union marches right?  I think the breadth and depth of support was greater than the support for same sex marriage.

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by: EaBoClipper @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 18:55:32 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

casinos are related to marriage* how, again? (0.00 / 0)

your comment makes no sense.  i remain unconvinced, especially in light of the more comprehensive information provided below by Ryan.

*i will be disappointed if gary and CMD, at least, don't respond with sly/sarcastic zingers. :D

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by: Laurel @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 19:06:06 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Because you mentioned in this thread that: (0.00 / 0)

He did the one thing you wanted him to do amongst other things, support same sex marriage.  You put a high value on same sex marriage for obvious reasons, which is your right.  But you denigrate the support of things you don't believe in.

I was merely trying to provide a counterpoint to your point that people won't march on the statehouse for casinos by showing that people have marched on the statehouse in support of casinos and they were as vocal and their support probably ran as deep as your crew when they went to the hill to support same sex marriage.

You brought same sex marriage up in this thread not I.

*[new]  he lived up to my most pressing expectation
by helping defend marriage in MA.  it was a HUGE leap of faith for me to support him in the elections.  he's the first untested elected official i've ever had that didn't "forget" his dedication to LGBT equality upon assuming office.  together, we did!

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by: EaBoClipper @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 19:11:34 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

To oblige (5.25 / 4)

casinos are related to marriage how again

One is a large institution filled with gamblers, the other just a place with slot machines?

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by: gary @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 21:29:09 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

*golf clap* (0.00 / 0)

---

by: JoeTS @ Sat Mar 29, 2008 at 15:42:09 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

a few things... (5.00 / 1)

Unions are great at digging people up to go to events. First, many of the 'red shirts' were paid. Many were also fulfilling requirements of going to four of those kinds of union events each year (and I know it's four, because I overheard an organizer's conversation at the last casino hearing).

So, sure, they could pack Gardner in the state house (not really that hard to do, in reality) and they had a small gathering at the Commons in the morning - but it wasn't filled with people who held the same kind of compassion or conviction as the marriage equality con con protests (and I include both sides in that breath). I'm sure there really are plenty of union people who are very excitable over casinos - and good for them. But the majority of the people at Gardner, I can tell from witnessing them personally, were bored and knew very little about the actual debate and what was happening - ie, they weren't invested in it, they were there because they were either paid or had to be. I can tell you that everyone who was at the Con Con - inside the Gardner or out - was heavily invested in it... again, from personal experience.

---
My thoughts are mine and mine alone. They should not be considered representative of any other organization, group or person - save me.

~Ryan.

---

by: Ryepower12 @ Sat Mar 29, 2008 at 00:23:29 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

a minor note (0.00 / 0)

at several of the concons i was at there were groups of latino evangelicals who did NOT understand why they were there.  i know this because a colleague had conversations with them in spanish.  they were there because their paster asked them to show up and they did so out of obedience, not because they had any convictions on the topic.  while i am certain that there were latinos there who did have convictions on the topic, there were very many who were a lot like the red shirts you refer to above.  i never witnessed this kind of usury on the pro-equality side.

Click HERE and sign up: Campaign For Military Partners.

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by: Laurel @ Sat Mar 29, 2008 at 12:27:53 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Bigger fish. (0.00 / 0)

We are facing a budget that may well have severe cuts in programs and services many on BMG have posted in favor of.  (damn that is an awkward sentence)

As a supporter of the revenue and jobs the casino bill would have created, it seems the bigger fish is revenue. I suspect we will be seeing a similar casino bill from the House early next year - after the firestorm over budgets cuts this summer.

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by: Striker57 @ Sat Mar 29, 2008 at 09:42:27 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

But the question now is... (6.00 / 1)

...can supporters of these programs rely on Gov. Patrick to work 150 % to stop this cuts and find solutions...or will he be in the Berkshires writing his book or lobbying for a job in DC?  That is the real damage that has been done--supporters will lose confidence that Deval will be behind them.

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by: FrankSkeffington @ Sat Mar 29, 2008 at 09:45:21 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

no (5.75 / 4)

Early polling showed broad based support. Recent polling showed a plurality against casinos in Massachusetts, and a SUPER MAJORITY against them nearby their own homes. And the trends were showing casino support was going to shrivel up to about nothing sooner rather than later. Go look up the "casino" tag on my blog if you want to look at the more recent polls.  

---
My thoughts are mine and mine alone. They should not be considered representative of any other organization, group or person - save me.

~Ryan.

---

by: Ryepower12 @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 18:33:43 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Wrong (5.75 / 4)

1. Polling that Ryan pointed to recently shows that 67 percent of Mass. residents are either strongly opposed (57 percent) or somewhat opposed (10 percent) to a casino being built in their community. That's really the only poll that matters.

2. Voters at the Middleborough town meeting, as readers of BMG know, voted overwhelmingly against an advisory question asking if they want a casino in town. This has been grossly under-reported, as the media have concentrated on approval of a deal with the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe in the event that a casino becomes inevitable.

3. House members are even more afraid of losing than they are of crossing Mr. Speaker. Do you think they would have voted 108-46 against if they thought that would stir up a groundswell of opposition back home?

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by: dkennedy @ Sat Mar 29, 2008 at 10:36:22 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Leadership 101 - don't ask your troops to do anything you aren't willing to do yourself, lead from the field (6.00 / 13)

When H 992 was being heard before the Joint Judiciary Committee, and I supported it and helped write it, I attended in a wheel chair.  I did not ask attorneys to come from all over the state - and then not show up.

I had been in an auto accident.  I was ordered off my feet; there was the possibility I was told that the hip joint would fully implode and could sever an artery.  So I got doctor's permission to gad about in a wheel chair and arranged both transport, and for someone to push me in that wheel chair so that I would be "in the field" with those I had summoned.

Leadership 101.

Deborah Sirotkin Butler
AmberPaw dot @aol.com

"Failure to plan is planning to fail."
Proverb

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by: AmberPaw @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 20:59:35 PM CDT

Amber---Most folks don't understand : Leadership by Example (0.00 / 0)

It's a foreign concept.

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by: MCRD @ Sat Mar 29, 2008 at 22:02:51 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Why does it seem so hard (6.00 / 2)

for this Administration to get the little things right?  No, his presence would not have made a difference in the outcome of the vote, but does he not have one aide who could explain to him why it would be important for him to be there when the vote happened?  That leaves me worried about the remainder of this term.

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by: cmoore1 @ Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 21:24:14 PM CDT

As PP alludes to below (and I hate being on the same side as PP)... (6.00 / 1)

...I think Deval has advisors that did tell him it was a bad idea and he just ignored him.

I had this experience very early on with Deval...it was the Spring of 2005 and he hinted to a group of activists that he was open to tax increases to pay for his vision of improving education.  When I spoke to him one-on-one and told him that saying this in public was political sucicide he looked at me for about two seconds with pure arrogance, as if saying "I know what is best", before someone else got his attention and he started talking to them.

I'm sure Deval gets the advise, he just doesn't take it.  

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by: FrankSkeffington @ Sat Mar 29, 2008 at 09:42:30 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

my experience (5.00 / 2)

is that he listens well. It is among his best characteristics.  

That is what is so baffling to me about his original choices to go all out for a grandiose and probably doomed to failure casino plan; and then in losing dramatically -- do a high profile book deal reminiscent of his tone deaf decisions about the official car and the official drapes.  

FrederickClarkson.com and Talk to Action

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by: Frederick Clarkson @ Sat Mar 29, 2008 at 10:43:37 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

He listens well... (6.00 / 1)

...but does he hear you?

---

by: FrankSkeffington @ Sat Mar 29, 2008 at 18:50:04 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

that, I think (0.00 / 0)

is a matter of choice.

FrederickClarkson.com and Talk to Action

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by: Frederick Clarkson @ Tue Apr 01, 2008 at 18:39:46 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

I'm sorry, Frank - I don't like having to give your comments good ratings because they are to spot-on, either! :~) (0.00 / 0)

Yr. Obedient Servant, Peter Porcupine, Republican

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by: Peter Porcupine @ Sat Mar 29, 2008 at 11:13:37 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

It's kind of like being the capatin of a ship when something real bad happens: like hitting an iceberg (0.00 / 0)

The captain is not the first person in a lifeboat, unless of course your name is deval patrick!

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by: MCRD @ Sat Mar 29, 2008 at 22:05:12 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

From the man himself.... (0.00 / 0)

I am just going to copy/paste this from Jon Keller's blog - because I am speechless -

3/28/2008 4:17 PM

From Gov. Deval Patrick's brief press conference this afternoon discussing his $1.35 million autobiography deal negotiated during a trip to New York City on March 20, the same day his casino bill was being voted down on Beacon Hill:

Q: Governor, any regrets about the timing of the trip to New York?

A: Life is what happens while you're making plans?

Q: What does that mean?

A: Just that. No, I don't have any regrets."

It isn't that he doesn't get it.  He doesn't WANT to get it.

Yr. Obedient Servant, Peter Porcupine, Republican

---

by: Peter Porcupine @ Sat Mar 29, 2008 at 08:43:36 AM CDT

He doesn't get what? (3.50 / 2)

No one has yet to explain what benefit would have been obtained by his staying.

---

by: HR's Kevin @ Sat Mar 29, 2008 at 09:04:59 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Amber explained it VERY well... (6.00 / 1)

...right HERE.

The evaded obligation was to support those who supported him.  Not just on election day, but in his battles in the House.  These people expended polical capital to do so - they took genuine risks by defying DiMasi.  Only to find that the person they took the risk for didn't think enough of them to reciprocate when a minor imprint waved some cash at him.  And I'm sorry - that meeting could have been rescheduled in the blink of an eye - Patrick CHOSE to duck this vote, because he knew he was going to lose.  The real lack of class was ignoring those he left holding the bag.

The benefit, Kevin, would have been the continued good will of his supporters in the House.  Think they'll stick their necks out again for him?  He's got 3 more years, a long time to go without support.

Yr. Obedient Servant, Peter Porcupine, Republican

---

by: Peter Porcupine @ Sat Mar 29, 2008 at 09:22:12 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Just like Romney did to the entire state (0.00 / 0)

I think your comments here are dead on Peter, although I think you're exaggerating about the consequences: this was just an uncool call by the Governor, and a bad decision, not the end of the Patrick administration.

What strikes me, however, is how similar this event is on a small scale to Willard's behavior in the last two years of his Governorship. In other words, your assessments are equally apt when applied on a larger scale to our last Governor.

BMG: Reality-based commentary.

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by: Bob Neer @ Sat Mar 29, 2008 at 11:09:07 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Hmmm... (0.00 / 0)

I would love it if some enterprising journalist compared the amount of travel Romney did in his first 500 days as governor, and the amount of travel Deval is doing.  I bit it would be pretty darn even.

~~~~
Believe it or not, I have even more to say...

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by: sabutai @ Sat Mar 29, 2008 at 12:04:50 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Problem is (0.00 / 0)

as is my understanding, Deval's schedule has not been exactly "transparent".  So one would have a hard time doing that.

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by: EaBoClipper @ Sat Mar 29, 2008 at 12:06:55 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

In his first year as Governor... (0.00 / 0)

...Romney eliminated the hack-laden MDC and fired Bill Bulger.  He closed a multi-billion dollar budget defecit, but kept the trains running on time, as it were.

In his first year, Deval shut down 6 pension boards.

In his last year as Governor, Romney negotiated the ICE agreement to enforce laws against illegal immigrants, reformed drunk driving laws even as the House fought to preserve the status quo, and oversaw the creation of the John and Abigail Adams scholarships for deserving Mass. students.

Based on performance to date - what do YOU think Deval's last year will look like?

Yr. Obedient Servant, Peter Porcupine, Republican

---

by: Peter Porcupine @ Sun Mar 30, 2008 at 17:38:53 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

throughout his tenure (0.00 / 0)

willard also participated in efforts to discriminate against a minority of his constituents in the state constitution.  no matter whether you think fondly or ill of marriage equality, that displayed a mighty failure of leadership on his part.

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by: Laurel @ Sun Mar 30, 2008 at 22:59:26 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

You forgot (0.00 / 0)

In his first year, Deval shut down 6 pension boards.

Don't forget that 5 towns joined the G.I.C.

Or, 346 didn't.  Half full; half empty, YMMV.

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by: gary @ Tue Apr 01, 2008 at 08:23:03 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

I am not convinced (0.00 / 0)

but whatever.

---

by: HR's Kevin @ Sat Mar 29, 2008 at 17:07:40 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Stick their neck out? They won't give the nitwit the time of day! DP is now the pre eminent first term lame duck governor. (0.00 / 0)

Boy----isn't that something to put on your resume.

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by: MCRD @ Sat Mar 29, 2008 at 22:09:38 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

What's to get? (4.00 / 1)

What the point of being a public servant if you can't cash in?

---

by: gary @ Sat Mar 29, 2008 at 13:05:06 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Romney still sucked, (5.50 / 2)

even if Deval is a major disappointment. I'd love to see him on the ticket with McCain.

Patrick was an exciting candidate, a decent, and inspiring speaker but he remains an amateur in the worst sense of the word. A man who never held elected office before his run for governor, he understands politics from the outside and thought the state legislature would part like the Red Sea for him.

Aside from his naivete, of which there is more than a tinge of arrogance, Patrick lacks a coherent vision. His Readiness Plan is less a vision than a pared-down, top-down, kitchen sink (albeit a small sink) approach to education policy. His casino plan was half-baked. His plans generally boil down to lets get a lot of money and spend it on a half-baked policies.

Would Kerri Healey have better? It's doubtful. Even with her experience on whatever school committee she was on or the excellent campaign she ran. Tom Reilly didn't know what he was thinking until the wrong person told him. Chris Gabrieli is busy enough not doing a very good job with the Springfield Control Board.

Mark

A rose by any other name is still a rose by another name.

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by: Yellow Dog @ Sat Mar 29, 2008 at 13:08:58 PM CDT

Patrick was a snake oil salesman, an Elmer Gantry. (3.33 / 3)

He saw an entire electorate that was sick of part time governors anxious to use MA as a rung in a political ladder and played to the crowd. Slogans and BS that the public just lapped up. " Yes we can", " Together we can". When I heard that crap I knew the guy was full of shit.
It's pathetic that Massachusetts voters bought that hook line and sinker. Chris Gabrielli would have probably done a pretty good job, and who knows what Kerry Healy would have done----the bottom line is that they would have done a hell of a lot better than our current PT Barnum in the corner office.

Healy must wet her pants laughing when she watches the six o'clock news.

---

by: MCRD @ Sat Mar 29, 2008 at 22:18:10 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

This was Deval's MO (6.00 / 1)

 Didn't he do the same thing at Coke and Ameriquest?

Go in make noise and promises then take his ball and run home. Like a spoiled kid,  complain about the mean kids  playing rough with him.

Leaders lead by example-> Patton was on the front lines during the Battle of the Bulge and Arden Forest in spite of the odds. -> John McCain refused early release from the POW camp because prisoners there longer were not going.

Everybody is ready for the fight but once they got hit in the nose, blood comes gushing into your throat.  That separates the wannabees from the fighters.

The real leaders persevere.

Just Words!

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by: Skipper @ Sun Mar 30, 2008 at 10:35:31 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

slow weekend, eh guys? (1.50 / 6)

That Deval- what a scoundrel. No way am I ever voting black again.

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by: Farnkoff @ Sat Mar 29, 2008 at 14:37:31 PM CDT

You should talk. (0.00 / 0)

I worked for the campaign in my town, held signs, rustled up votes.

What's race got to do with it anyway?

Mb

A rose by any other name is still a rose by another name.

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by: Yellow Dog @ Sat Mar 29, 2008 at 16:52:51 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Guess it's better to sign a book deal than stay for a vote (5.67 / 3)

I was extremely disappointed after reading the Globe story. As an early supporter of Deval, I look back at his first year and ask, where is the promise of hope? Going to NY to sign a book deal on the day of an important vote? DUH! You don't do that even if you're going to lose the vote. It's bad PR!

The governor and the speaker have got to put the axes down and start working on the commonwealth's business. The cities & towns need TAX RELIEF. Prop. 2 1/2 is killing us and no one in the legislature has the chutzpah to take it on.

If you think this year is bad, wait for next year's revenue figures.

It's time for some action boys. Forget the personal agendas and the book deals. The cities and towns of this state need relief. The bubble is bursting this year.  

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by: Bladerunner @ Sat Mar 29, 2008 at 14:45:13 PM CDT

Pathetic, But . . . (4.00 / 1)

when you have a million dollar plus book deal who care.

Let them eat cake!

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by: peabody @ Sat Mar 29, 2008 at 21:43:48 PM CDT

With colored Jimmy's! (0.00 / 0)

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by: MCRD @ Sat Mar 29, 2008 at 22:20:26 PM CDT

[ Parent ]